Monday, February 13, 2006

Liberal Media? Ha!

The merger between the nation's two largest alternative newspaper chains was finally consummated Jan. 31, and the very next day, Mike Lacey, the new owner of the Village Voice, was in New York City giving the staff the facts of life.

Lacey met with Voice staffers Feb. 1, and, according to sources who were present at the meeting, announced that the Voice news section was too soft because it was full of commentary and criticism of the Bush administration.

Got that?

He said he didn't want any more commentary — just hard news and long-form human-interest stories.

What if the "hard news" contains INFORMATION damaging to the Bushies?

"That's called 'commentary.'"

(That's how it works, people.)

He also insulted the entire news department by saying Voice reporters "need to stop being stenographers" and, the sources told the Guardian, warned the staff "to be ready to say goodbye to some of your friends."

When one participant said the description of the staff as "stenographers" was unfair, Lacey reportedly responded, "So, I'm unfair."

The Voice carried no news on the closure of the deal, which combines New Times Media and Village Voice Media.

Scott Spear, senior vice president of the new company, announced the consummation of the merger in a terse release stating that the big chain will take the Village Voice Media name and publish alternative weeklies in 17 markets.

Alternative?

Ha.

They want it more than we do, and they're spending the money to get it.